On 10th December, Gwadar witnessed the largest rally of its history. Our video report explains why these protests are happening and who is leading them.
Thousands have poured in from different areas of Balochistan to Gwadar to participate in the Balochistan Ko Haq Do Movement as the security forces surround the protestors and arrest their leaders. The protestors carried out a thousands-strong rally to mark World Human Rights Day which is commemorated on December 10th annually.
According to the details, the rally began at the Javed Complex in Gwadar and marched on the streets of the city, chanting slogans against the authorities and asking for their fundamental rights. Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman, the leader of the protest, said that thousands of people have flocked to Gwadar today. This serves to prove that the people are now fed up with the injustices – they want their due rights. He said that we didn’t get job opportunities, factories or any other facilities from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor – we only got dead bodies.
He said that Balochistan is not a colony and we are not third-grade citizens. He said that the authorities have turned Balochistan into jail and they are brutally suppressing dissent. He said that when we ask why we are being treated like this, we are labelled as “terrorists.” Were Malik Naz and Kulsoom Baloch terrorists who were shot dead by the state and its trained goons? Was Hayat a terrorist who was brutally murdered in front of his parents? he asked.
Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman said that he was assured by the Gwadar police that they will not harm the protestors and that they are also a part of the movement.
